You Do Know Good Too

Protein. It’s about the looks. And we want to look good, so most protein powders focus mostly on selling you on their cute packaging and buff models (who are probably taking steroids). It’s all marketing. And really, what’s isn’t?

The world is marketing, everything is only as good as its marketing because marketing is based on making you feel good about something, and immediately making you like it before you even have solid reason to. Facts don’t matter as much as feelings. If something or someone makes you feel good, everything else is secondary.

Back to protein, we want to determine what protein is genuinely good, not just marketed as good. We know how beneficial protein is in our diets. Our muscles are composed mostly of protein and water, so proper protein and water consumption is huge. Maybe you don’t want to be the biggest, most muscly and hefty person at the gym, you just want a toned, fit body, good posture, and a tight ass. And it doesn’t matter if you’re vegan, paleo, keto, whatever. You need protein. Plus, protein is thermogenic, meaning it aides in burning body fat. Who doesn’t want more muscle and less body fat? Protein helps us in this way.

Health and nutrition scientists agree that we need, at minimum, .36 grams of protein per pound of muscle. Simple calculation. If you weigh 150, multiply that by .36 and you need at least 54 grams of protein a day. Are you getting your mandatory requirement? Most of us aren’t.

Ask the 10 most physically fit guys and gals at the gym about their protein recommendation, and unless they’re being paid by a brand to market for them, they will probably tell you 10 different personal recommendations that they swear by. The answer is, no one knows. With all the marketing that says each powder and supplement is THE KEY TO OPTIMUM HEALTH AND SEXINESS, we don’t know what the hell to use. But what do we know for sure?

Everyone is different, so nothing is universally “THE BEST.” My cousin David has been an award winning body builder for 15 years. He pounds the occasional protein shake, but he says the best protein comes from real food, not supplements. His favorite protein comes from a 3,000 calorie spread of veggies with chicken or beef, eggs, healthy fats like avocados and nuts, cheese, and a real food shake with tons of peanut butter, seeds, oils, raw egg, and superfood bonanza.

Not everyone can pound such a nutrient dense meal after a workout. So, we like supplements. Protein powder is a health supplement. Therefore, healthy stuff isn’t supposed to taste like an ice cream sundae with 3 mountains of your favorite flavors of hand scooped ice cream, with cookie dough and Oreos mixed in, in a waffle bowl, with gummy bears and whip cream at the tippy top. Damn that sounds good.

Protein powder isn’t supposed to taste amazing, but it sure doesn’t have to taste bad. You could go with something super clean, like naked whey protein, unflavored egg white protein, or plain hemp protein. But why not go for a yummy flavor like cookies & cream, strawberry, banana cream pie, caramel cookie dough, and more? Whatever your choice, just check for a few key components.

Facts to check:

•Sugar Free

-Sugar is sweet, but gaining body fat is not sweet. Stay away from added sugar. Make sure your powder is sweetened with a good quality, sugar free sweetener, like stevia, erythritol, and monk fruit. Sucralose isn’t great, but if it’s the only thing separating you from protein yummyness, you could consume it in moderation. But no aspartame!

•Low Carb

-Sure, carbs are a great energy source, but they should be consumed pre workout, not post. Have a slice of whole grain toast before your workout, and go low carb for the post workout protein. Spin the jar around and checkout the nutrition facts. Whey, hemp, egg white, and a few plant based powders are great low carb options.

•Good Quality

-The best powders have ingredients you can pronounce because they’re real food based. They might have added vitamins and nutrients, but shouldn’t have chemical additives. Stay away from artificial crap. And if you see a label that says something like “High Performance Blend Of Amino Isolate Compounds That Have Been Tested And Proven To Get You Ripped And Laid 3 Times A Week” or something fancy like that, its probably more than you need.

-If you have to sacrifice quality, like a few too many carbs or a little added sugar, it’s fine. Just stay within reason. Don’t go overboard, especially since there are plenty of inexpensive, good quality, delicious protein powders you can grab that fit good dietary requirements.

•Not Too Dense (Beware Of Soy)

-Protein is so good because it’s efficient. Your body loves and needs it. It doesn’t take a lot of calories to fill you up, you just need nutrient density. Protein is an important nutrient that should be prevalent in your diet.

-Nutrient density is great, but it can be easy to go overboard. Almond butter is nutrient dense. It contains about 200 cals per scoop. Now imagine you shoot 3 scoops in a protein shake. Boom, instant 600 cals. Same principle applies to protein, you don’t want any powder that’s more dense than you need. Some dudes want an extra 500-1000 cals to quickly bulk up, but if aren’t working out that much, the excess energy is stored as body fat.

-Beware for low calorie powders that are made with soy. Soy is low calorie, but has some negative health effects that most people want to avoid. Especially guys. Soy is bad for testosterone production.

What are some good protein powders on the market? There are plenty. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my favorites.

Links are provided to make it super quick and easy to find these products on Amazon.

Here are some faves:

This is a plain, super clean protein powder with tons of nutrients and fiber. Toss it in your oatmeal, smoothies, and baked goodies for a healthy boost.

Quest protein does contain sucralose, but it is low calorie, has a great amount of whey protein, and tastes amazing! I’m a milkshake connoisseur, and regarding taste, flavor, and thickness, I usually consider Chick-fil-A to have the best cookies & cream shake. Considering how their shakes are a million calories and grams of sugar, Quest is a great replacement. They even have a cinnamon flavor that tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, the best cereal ever.

Orgain is plant based and comes in awesome chocolate and vanilla flavors. It is lightly sweetened with plant based, sugar free sweeteners. I mix it with my coffee or toss in some instant coffee mix, blend it, and call it a quick, easy, and delicious breakfast.

Maybe you’re on the paleo train. I’m no paleo dieter, but everyone will agree that eggs are an excellent source of healthy nutrients and protein. Julian Bakery, a paleo brand, has taken the power or egg whites and turned it into a protein powder. They have flavors like chocolate, glazed donut, coconut cream, and cinnamon roll. If you’re feeling adventurous, and we could all use more adventure in our lives, combine the flavors into new combinations. Coconut donut? Chocolate cinnamon roll? Cinnamon donut?

I love this powder so much I just ordered more the other day, and i still have half of my first jar left. It’s awesome. Bodylogix Natural Whey protein powder also has a decreased lactose content, which means it’s a lot easier on your stomach.